‘More than enough to get us to north Queensland in comfort,’ she assured him with a wink, and Kyle realised that Zoe was way ahead of him in planning their next move.
‘There’s something I need to get from home first,’ he told her, knowing it would throw a spanner in the works.
‘You can’t go home, Kyle. The police will be watching it for sure,’ Zoe whispered. She didn’t want her voice to carry over the cab driver’s football broadcast.
‘You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it was important.’ He tried to plead with her. ‘We’ll have to figure something out.’
When Kyle got that puppy-dog look on his face, Zoe just couldn’t argue. ‘Well, first things first. Let’s get some transport, some new clothes and some supplies.’
‘You’re the brains of this operation,’ Kyle conceded happily, ‘I’m just the muscle.’ He moaned as he straightened up. ‘At least, I think I am.’
‘How is your bod doing?’ Zoe asked sympathetically. She took a peep at the wound inside his shirt and noticed the blood seeping through.
‘Actually, I feel better to be on the move,’ Kyle lied. Mentally, he did feel good, but his body was cold and weak. Now that he’d lost Book and the chance to meet his fire element, perhaps his chances of staying alive were still in doubt.
Kyle wasn’t surprised that Zoe was a long time in the bank; large cash withdrawals were no doubt checked and double-checked. She had been very confident when departing to deal with the financial side of their operation, and Kyle, having a fear of large institutions, was more than happy to sit and eat a full breakfast inside the cafe across the road.
‘Kyle?’
Kyle nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked up to find the old security guard from the Nivok building standing over him, looking very displeased. ‘Jeez, Charlie, you scared the life out of me.’
‘Not any wonder, with the trouble you’re in,’ he grouched, albeit quietly.
‘Do you want to sit down?’ Kyle asked. The old bloke was obviously dark on him, and wasn’t going anywhere. He had something on his mind.
Wary of being seen with Kyle, Charlie scanned the area in a glance and reluctantly pulled up a chair. ‘What have you done with Nivok’s niece?’ He leaned over the table to quietly discuss the matter.
‘Well, nothing yet.’ Kyle assumed he was referring to their romance. ‘I’ve only just met the girl.’
‘Kidnapping is no joke,’ Charlie whispered harshly. ‘I lost my job because of you, and if I’m to have any chance of ever working again, you’ll tell me what you’ve done with her.’ The guard grabbed hold of Kyle’s shirt and yanked Kyle towards him, battering Kyle’s wound against the table in the process.
Kyle released a quiet groan. Then Zoe arrived and pried Kyle’s shirt from the security guard’s fingers. ‘I’m right here,’ she said, stating the obvious as she placed a comforting arm around Kyle. ‘What gave you the insane idea that Kyle had kidnapped me? You saw us leave together the other day,’ Zoe pressed on with her attack. ‘Did it look like I was under duress?’
‘Well, no.’ Charlie was gratified by this turn of events, because he had felt the charge was a little fishy in the first place. ‘Your uncle told the police that you’d been kidnapped by Kyle and Matt. I must confess I didn’t believe it … but when I was fired for letting Kyle in and out of the building after he’d been dismissed, well …’ The old bloke shrugged, bemused. It seemed he was not the only one who was being used as a scapegoat by James Nivok.
‘That seems to explain why the police are so keen to find us.’ Kyle regained the ability of speech, the pain of the knock ebbing away.
‘Oh, Jesus!’ Zoe’s eyes widened in shock. ‘Matthew’s got my car!’
‘Not good,’ Kyle conceded. ‘Please god, don’t let him return to the doc’s house.’
‘He promised me he would,’ Zoe fretted.
‘It’s way too dangerous for us to go back there.’ Kyle had learnt his lesson — a soul as wilful as Matt could take care of himself. Zoe agreed. ‘We have to stick to our own plan now.’
‘So what is going on?’ Charlie inquired. ‘I mean, as I’ve been done out of my retirement fund and a means to earn a living, I would like to know why.’
‘We’re still trying to figure the answer to that question ourselves.’ Kyle felt sorry that he couldn’t help the old guy.
‘Please don’t be concerned.’ Zoe placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. ‘I actually own two-thirds of the company that just fired you … you won’t be out of a job for long, I swear it.’
Kyle read so much more into this statement than just words of comfort for their hard-done-by friend: ‘Is that a business tone I hear in your voice?’ Kyle teased, knowing how much Zoe detested the world of big business. ‘If I didn’t know better I would think that you were planning to challenge your uncle.’
Zoe merely smiled, and made no comment.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ Charlie offered his services.
The couple were shaking their heads to decline the offer, when Kyle suddenly thought more of it. ‘Actually, there is something you can do.’
Charlie made it past the gate at Kyle’s place, but by the time he reached the front porch there was a plain clothes policeman crossing the road to question him.
‘The occupant of this house is being sought for questioning.’ The man flashed a police badge at Charlie. ‘Do you know anything of his whereabouts?’
‘I wish I did,’ Charlie said angrily. ‘The little bastard just got me fired!’ His hands implied that he’d like to wring the suspect’s neck. ‘And since we’ve had this falling out, I’m here to pick up an old chest Kyle was storing for me. It’s just here.’ Charlie reached in under the house and pulled out a slim, reinforced metal case, that was padlocked twice.
‘What’s in there?’ The policeman didn’t really suspect anything underhand was going on, but he was curious. ‘Why the padlocks?’
‘Just some old junk really,’ he explained. ‘I used to have a key for the padlocks, but my kids lost them ages ago. You’d be doing me a favour if you bust them off and check inside,’ Charlie said.
‘Thanks. I’ll mind not to hurt the chest.’ The policeman thought it best to know what he was allowing to leave an area that was under surveillance.
Charlie smiled as he watched the policeman return to his car for some tools. Everything was going to plan.
‘You got it?’ Kyle pounced on Charlie the minute he got home. ‘And you got them to bust the locks off, you total legend!’ Kyle hurried to place the chest on a table and open it up.
‘Yep.’ The old fellow grinned. ‘The policeman was rather bemused by the contents. And so was I,’ Charlie confessed.
Zoe moved closer to see what had been so important it had delayed their escape.
Inside was a faded blue baby blanket.
‘Was that yours?’ Zoe went all gooey and sentimental.
‘I guess,’ Kyle shrugged, pretending not to remember how he’d once dragged the piece of cloth everywhere. He unwrapped the blanket to expose a boomerang. Seeing the depictions of a large ape-like creature on the weapon, Kyle felt an immediate affinity with the object; memories of learning how to hunt with the tool came flooding back.
His young feet were running over a field in pursuit of a target; entering the bushland, he stalked his prey, his heart pounding in his chest as he took aim at the feral cat that had scampered up a tree and let his weapon fly. The death screech of the animal rang in his ears.
‘Kyle?’ Zoe gestured at the item, wanting him to explain his connection to it and its importance.
‘I don’t know,’ he confessed. ‘I just know it will be crucial to our success.’ He knew he wasn’t making sense, but he also knew he had no hope of doing so at present. ‘We should go.’
‘Yes, we should,’ Zoe wholeheartedly agreed.
‘Thanks for this, Charlie.’ Kyle wrapped the boomerang and placed it in his bag for safe cartage. ‘An
d thank your missus for the cake.’ Kyle motioned to the kitchen he’d raided.
‘Can I give you kids a lift somewhere?’ Charlie offered, not having anything better to do.
‘We’re going to an airstrip out of town.’ Zoe thought their destination was probably further afoot than Charlie cared to go.
‘We are?’ Kyle was surprised and excited to learn this fact.
Zoe nodded and grinned, pleased to surprise him yet again. ‘I have friends there.’
‘I thought you said you didn’t have any close friends?’ Kyle queried.
‘These are the paid kind,’ she advised him, and Kyle looked perplexed. ‘They taught me how to fly,’ she enlightened further.
‘You have a pilot’s licence?’ Now Kyle was definitely in love.
Zoe shrugged as if it were nothing. ‘Part of my well-spent youth alone.’ She was gratified to finally find a silver lining to her life. ‘And flying is just one of the numerous solo pursuits of the disgustingly rich and shameless.’
‘Well, how about I take you out of the city and you can get a cab the rest of the way?’ Charlie suggested. ‘That way I’m home for supper and I don’t know your final destination.’
‘Thanks, Charlie.’ Kyle accepted, filled with emotion by Charlie’s gracious offer. ‘I’m real sorry I got you fired, but I’m going to make it up to you.’ Zoe nodded to show that she agreed. ‘I count you among the only three true friends I’ve ever had … human friends that is.’ The comment made Zoe smile, and although Charlie wasn’t sure what to make of it, he was warmed by Kyle’s apology.
‘You didn’t get me fired, son. It was my own mistake that got me fired,’ Charlie acknowledged. ‘I’ve always had a good feeling about you, Kyle. I know you and this lass here well enough to trust you. If you say there’s something fishy going on, then I believe there is. I’ve worked security at the Nivok building since it was built. Your grandfather,’ Charlie motioned to Zoe, ‘Halifax Nivok, hired me himself. The Nivoks have always been good to me and I’d hate to see the company that your grandfather built, and that your good father poured his all into, fall into disrepute.’
‘You knew my father and my grandfather?’ Zoe was overwhelmed at the opportunity to have some questions answered.
‘Do you remember a guy named Timothy Burke?’ Kyle jumped in, also excited by this unforeseen source of information.
‘Why of course I do,’ Charlie stated. ‘He was the one James Nivok was trying to frame for the murder of Miss Nivok’s parents.’
Zoe gasped. ‘I was never told that murder was suspected. I was told my parents died in a car accident.’
‘Trying to frame, you say?’ Kyle queried. ‘You didn’t believe the charge against Burke then?’
Charlie thought back. ‘Tim was a really nice fellow. He was smart. He had a beautiful wife, a promising career and a kid on the way … now why would a man like that suddenly become a murderer?’ Charlie asked, and there was quiet for a moment while they pondered the answer.
‘We should talk en route,’ Charlie suggested. ‘If I’m not home by the time the missus gets back from bowls, I’ll be in strife.’
‘Now we’re in the woods,’ Tim told Matthew as he paid the cab driver.
Matt gazed at the parched fields, with forest and mountains beyond, raising both eyebrows to concede Tim was right. It had taken a bus, a couple of trains, another bus and a cab to finally get them here, so Matt was mighty pleased to be in the woods.
‘Are you sure you want to be left here?’ The cab driver thought he’d best warn them. ‘Most of this land is privately owned, but blackfellas still frequent the area, especially at night, so it pays to keep a gun handy.’
Matt couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing, and Tim certainly didn’t take kindly to the implication.
‘Those blackfellas are my family,’ Tim crouched low to enlighten the driver inside the cab, ‘and it’s your kind I keep a gun for.’ Tim reached inside his bag, which compelled the cab driver to put his foot down and the car tore off up the road. ‘Some things never change.’ He turned to Matt. ‘I don’t really have a gun.’
‘I do,’ Matt grinned, patting his bag. ‘It’s Nivok’s.’
This boast amused Tim. ‘You and I really do have to have a long chat, Mr Ryan.’
To avoid being identified by association, Tim and Matt had travelled the same route, but had mostly kept their distance from each other. That way, if one of them was spotted, the other might still have a chance to avoid capture.
‘You have no idea how happy I —’ Matt was suddenly dragged off to the side of the road into some bushes. ‘What?’
Tim pointed to the four-wheel drive vehicle headed along the road towards them.
‘No one could possibly have followed our trail, Tim.’ Matt thought him paranoid. ‘I don’t even know where we were half the time!’
‘Sh,’ Tim requested. The vehicle pulled into the same rest area the cab had used to drop them off, and the driver’s door opened.
‘So that’s it. Mount Turrammelin.’ Zoe climbed out of the car to admire the mountain in the distance and stretch her legs.
‘Zoe!’ Matt stood and when Zoe turned around, he released a howl of laughter and triumph. ‘How the hell did you do that?’
‘Matt!’ She ran and pounced to hug him. ‘I was so worried!’ She laughed and cried at once. ‘My uncle has you up on kidnapping charges!’
‘So we discovered when I picked Tim up,’ Matt informed her, ‘but he got us away without even scratching your car. It’s in the shopping mall car park not far from the jail, if you’re looking for it.’
‘The police already found it,’ Zoe told him. ‘I heard on the radio.’ Zoe looked at Tim who, despite his rugged informal attire and his greying, shoulder length, straggly dark hair, seemed to be a rather distinguished and fit fellow. He had a handsome face, and a small beard and moustache which only added to his air of integrity. No matter how she tried, Zoe could not see this man as the murderer of her parents. ‘We sure had to go to a lot of trouble to finally meet.’ Zoe held her hand out to Tim.
‘That which is destined cannot be prevented by mortal man,’ he announced and shook her hand gladly.
‘Where’s our hero?’ Matt looked back to find Kyle had slid himself out of the car and was now leaning against it for support.
‘Champion!’ Kyle gave Matt the thumbs up for not getting caught, and although he was glad to see his friend he couldn’t take his eyes off Timothy Burke. This is my father. The words were resounding in his mind. Will he know me? I think not.
‘Kyle, this is Tim,’ Matt introduced them, having noticed Kyle’s interest in their new companion.
‘Pleased to meet you.’ Tim moved to shake Kyle’s hand. ‘Any enemy of Nivok’s is a friend of mine.’ But as Tim got closer his pace slowed; Kyle almost heard the penny as it dropped in the man’s mind.
‘How’s it going?’ He shook Tim’s hand, pretending not to notice the stunned look on his face. Maybe he does know me? The notion that his father might have been watching him from afar warmed him inside, for it was clear that something was going down in Tim’s mind. ‘We were hoping you might be able to tell us what Nivok has got planned for this land.’
‘I can,’ Tim seemed to snap out of his daze, ‘but the side of the road is not really the place.’
‘Is there a road that way?’ Zoe pointed to the mountain.
‘This is as close as it gets,’ Tim said. ‘We used to four-wheel drive it many years ago, but there are wire fences further afoot and the gates are kept locked these days — your uncle’s attempt to keep the locals from their sacred waterhole on the far side of the mountain.’
‘Not a problem. We’ll just go through the fences,’ Zoe shrugged, as she headed for the car. ‘After all, they are mine.’
‘Yeehah!’ Matt cheered her on, and proceeded to haul his gear over to the vehicle. ‘Break down the walls … I like the sound of that!’ Matt unpacked his camera and threw the rest of
his belongings in the back. ‘That ought to be worth shooting.’
‘I’m beginning to suspect our girl is some sort of undercover superhero,’ Kyle advised his mate. ‘Zoe flew us most of the way up here. That’s how we got here so quick.’
Matt was a little amazed and then grinned. ‘Sounds like you had an infinitely better travel agent than we did.’
‘And an infinitely bigger budget,’ Tim added from the back seat. ‘Did you use cash to get here?’
‘Yep.’ Zoe planted herself in the driver’s seat.
‘And fake ID,’ Kyle added.
‘My, my, you are organised.’ Tim looked at Zoe, impressed. ‘Did you already suspect your uncle of foul play?’
‘Not until this week,’ she admitted. ‘I’ve just learnt to listen to my inner voice, which doesn’t seem to trust my uncle as much as the conscious me does. Better safe than sorry.’
Kyle, intrigued by her answer, had wandered around to the open passenger-side door. ‘Perhaps your parents are still watching out for you?’
‘No perhaps about it,’ Tim responded and Kyle felt that there was a subtle message in that statement for him too.
Zoe turned in her seat to view Tim. ‘You knew my parents well?’
‘Well enough to get them killed.’ Remorse was evident on his face as memories flooded his mind. ‘I was the unsuspecting cause of their death, but I was not their murderer.’
‘I didn’t think that you were.’ Zoe forced a smile as she put on her sunglasses to hide her tears. Once Matt was settled in the back, Kyle managed to drag his damaged body into the front passenger seat and Zoe started the engine. ‘Let’s explore!’ The car accelerated over an embankment and flew onto the flat land that led to Mount Turrammelin.
They managed to arrive at the sacred waterhole of Turrammelin mountain in one piece, surprisingly.
‘Wow!’ Zoe bounded out of the car. ‘That was so liberating.’ She was on a high after ramming her vehicle through the wire fence, and was jumping up and down in an attempt to expel some of the adrenaline rush.
Book of Dreams Page 13